


Taking a Chance

by Inell



Series: 2K Giveaway [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Hale Family, Allison Argent & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Braeden & Stiles Friendship, Childhood Memories, Crushes, Famous Bands, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Musician Derek, Musician Stiles, Mutual Pining, Off-Screen Allison/Lydia, Off-Screen Isaac/Scott, Off-Screen Laura/Erica, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Stiles Stilinski & Kira Yukimura Bromance, Stiles Stilinski & Malia Tate Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-08 04:52:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10378833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inell/pseuds/Inell
Summary: Since becoming famous, Stiles has focused on his music: writing songs and touring with his band, The Foxes. That changes when he runs into his childhood crush, Derek Hale, who also happens to be a founding member of Halestorm, the best band in the world, according to Stiles.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [smokesforsterek](https://archiveofourown.org/users/smokesforsterek/gifts).



> For @smokesforsterek who asked for Stiles/Derek as well as Stiles & Allison Brotp for winning the 2K Giveaway. I really hope you enjoy this, bb! Also, according to Google, there’s a band with the name Halestorm out there, but they don’t exist in this AU obviously!

Halestorm is, without a doubt, the best rock band that’s debuted in the last decade, if not longer. Stiles has actually followed them since their first gig, which had been at the Beacon Hills High School talent show when he’d only been ten years old.

Back then, it had just been Derek Hale, Laura Hale, Erica Reyes, and Vernon Boyd performing together for the first time, but there’d been magic on the stage. His mom had taken him to the talent show just like she did every year until she died, and he remembers looking at her and saying they were his favorite. They lost to a group of cheerleaders who had done some sexy dance that ten year old Stiles had thought was awful.

After that talent show, though, there had been flyers around town for performances at places he couldn’t go since he was so young, clubs that booked them despite the fact that three out of four members were only sixteen at the time. He had managed to see them again at the July fourth picnic that year, and he’d been just as mesmerized. Still for one of the only times in his life, his dad had jokingly said, listening to Laura Hale sing in voice with a slight growl and rawness that he really liked, and watching Derek Hale play guitar with an intensity that Stiles couldn’t look away from.

Flipping through an old notebook not that long ago had unearthed several attempts at song writing that eleven year old Stiles had done with the intent of giving them to Halestorm because he’d wanted to write songs for them. Distantly, he remembers his mom ruffling his hair and promising to give some of his songs to Derek, who was in her English class that year, but he really hopes that’s a faulty memory because the songs were appropriate for an eleven year old writing them and not good enough for a fantastic band.

His fanboying of Halestorm caused a lot of teasing back then, especially from Jackson Assmore who had to find something to make fun of him for, but he hadn’t let it bother him because he was convinced they were going to get famous.

And he’d been right, so take that Assmore.

Halestorm had got a record deal about the same time his mom got sick. He was twelve when she died, and, by then, Halestorm had two songs on the charts, were dominating the ‘up and coming band’ polls, were getting a big internet following, and were obviously destined for greatness. Meanwhile, Stiles had been stuck in Beacon Hills, twelve years old and angry at the world for taking his mom yet also guilty because she’d seemed to blame him, seemed to think he was trying to kill her, and he’d lost the one thing he used to obsess over in a way that calmed him down. Sure, Halestorm making it big meant he had access to all their music now with much better quality than the recordings he’d made during that picnic, but they were touring and traveling and doing press events and it just wasn’t the same anymore.

Looking back, he still can’t really understand what it was about the band that got to him so easily, that made him their first real fan, according to Laura Hale herself when his mom introduced him to the band during that picnic, that _still_ manages to turn him into some flailing fanboy just thinking about their music. It’s been embarrassing a few times during his own interviews when he’s been asked about musical influences and his favorite performers because it’s like a switch is flipped and he’s no longer the twenty-one year old instant sensation that’s been topping the pop charts since he was seventeen and got Youtube famous singing songs he’d written, much improved songs from those old ones he’d written for Halestorm back in grade school.

No, instead, he’s turned into a blushy stammering kid who can’t stop talking about Halestorm, and how he loves Laura’s voice and the lyrics to their songs, which he knows are mostly written by Derek and Boyd, and Erica’s drumming and how they’re so badass and introduced him to music as a way of life. It’s all true, of course. After his mom died and his dad started finding solace in a bottle, Stiles had hyperfocused in his own special way on rock music, in general, and then branched out until he knew random facts about everything from blues to swing to rock to country. He’d taught himself to play guitar from watching Youtube tutorials, had learned how to play the drums, too, and he’d studied proper song-writing because there were a lot of words in his head that he needed to get out somehow.

Despite the fact that he’s been touring for a few years now, has even won a couple of awards for breakout artist and song writing (the latter more important to him than the former), he still hasn’t crossed paths with Halestorm since that July 4th picnic. Halestorm is totally aware of him, though, because they’ve been asked questions about his well-known appreciation for them and gushing fanboying by music journalists who try stirring up stories by concocting drama where there isn’t any.

Whenever the name Stiles comes up, Erica always leers playfully, Boyd just looks stoic, Derek looks like he’s sucked a lemon, and Laura speaks for the band about being flattered by his praise and always throwing a compliment back at him that’s never quite specific enough to let Stiles knows if they’ve actually listened to him or not. Pop music is an odd thing, after all, and it’s definitely a different world from rock. Stiles does more of an indie thing, in his mind, than a pop thing, but he’s still lumped in with a generation of young cute artists who got their start via Youtube or reality TV shows.

It’s made it easier for him to break into the industry, so that’s definitely been beneficial to him. And he can’t really complain about seeing his name in reports along with the likes of Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran, but being that kind of internationally famous isn’t really his primary goal; he just wants to write and make music that he can share with people who enjoy it.

The fame and fans is just part of the trade-off to get to be able to make music. Sometimes, he’s not sure it’s worth it because the attention makes him anxious, and the crowds are rough. Concerts are great because he can share his music with a bunch of people, but the screaming and surge of people trying to touch him or get close can sometimes send him into mild panic attacks.

It’s lucky that Scott’s willing to tour with him during summer breaks from college, and he’s got his band, all of whom he trusts almost as much as Scott, if not more considering some of the things they’ve gone through together over the last four years. Malia, Kira, Braeden, and Allison are not only the best band members a guy could ever have, but they’re also the best bodyguards ever. They are the toughest people he’s met, could kick his ass without breaking a sweat, and he really does trust them to keep him safe from his own anxiety because they’re also his best friends.

The press likes to insinuate that they’re more than just his friends, of course, because it’s impossible to sell magazines without scandal. The fact that he’s best friends with the women in his band won’t sell issues, but allegations of partner swapping and orgies definitely get the public’s interest. Considering he’s an out and proud pansexual, it just seems to add fuel to the fire of gossip concerning his sex life, which is a hell of lot more exciting than the truth. The fact that he hasn’t actually dated anyone since Danny back during junior year doesn’t matter because people seem to think it’s impossible for men and women to be friends without sex being part of it.

It’s the same way with Halestorm.

There are always articles published and candid photos that supposedly support every possible combination of relationships other than Laura with Derek. Being related protects them from those insinuations, at least. Personally, Stiles has heard from a friend of a friend, namely Isaac, who Scott’s been on again-off again dating for the last year and a half, that Laura and Erica are actually together, and that Boyd and Derek are both single. Not that Stiles really cares or anything. It’s just rumors, and he hears enough crazy ones about himself to know how little truth there ever is to them.

Still, there’s a part of him that’s still a twelve year old with a huge crush on a talented song writer who also happens to be really cute.

Not that Derek’s just cute anymore. No, the years have been ridiculously kind to him. He’s no longer the skinny guy with big ears and adorable teeth. Now, he’s well-built, masculine, and always scruffy, if not outright hairy. The last interview Halestorm did was three months ago, and Derek had had a full beard that looked soft and rough all at the same time. Stiles might have streamed the clip more than a few times while thinking about that beard rubbing against his upper thighs.

Okay. So maybe the crush is still there because Derek’s still a ridiculously talented song writer who also happens to be mega attractive.

“Stiles, you seriously need to get your ass out of there,” Braeden says, knocking sharply on the door. “It’s been half an hour already.”

“Has it? Time has lost all meaning for me,” he tells her, glancing at the clock and cringing. It’s been more like forty minutes since he freaked out and hid in his dressing room, so he should be glad the band gave him some time to collect himself. Not that he actually did that. Instead, he’s lost himself in his memories and worked himself up even more about all this.

“You’re in a rather smelly dressing room, Stiles. Not paradise.” Allison sounds slightly frustrated, and he drags his hand over his face because he’s going to be in for it after this little stunt. She probably already called Lydia, so there’s a good chance he’ll be booked for some awful gig as punishment for upsetting Allison.

Letting his manager date his lead guitarist probably isn’t the smartest thing to allow, but it’s not like he’s ever going to fire either of them. Not when he’s already been asked to be best man and future godfather to the children they plan to adopt in a few years.

“Maybe my idea of paradise _is_ a smell dressing room,” he points out. “Also, if you called Lydia about this, I’m not letting you on my tour bus for a whole month. That means no COD marathons.”

“I didn’t call Lydia, but I will if you don’t get that cute ass out here. You’d never give up our gaming marathons, so stop with the idle threats.” Allison huffs. “You’re being ridiculous, you know?”

“Am not.” Stiles taps his fingers against his thigh. “Why did no one bother telling me that _Cora Hale_ was going to be the other guest on the show? I mean, I’d think that would be something you might casually mention.”

“We didn’t know, dumbass,” Braeden says, the doorknob rattling before it pops open. She stands up with a wicked grin as she pockets the tools she’s just used to break the lock. “Besides, none of us knew you’d freak out like this just because of a Hale.”

“I knew,” Kira offers, walking past Braeden and sitting on his lap. She smiles wryly. “Not about Cora Hale, but about you freaking out over Hales. I was there during the Grammy’s party incident, so I totally understand.”

“Don’t mention that,” Stiles mutters, shifting his legs so Kira can be more comfortable. “It was embarrassing, and I still can’t get those stupid photos off the internet.”

“Those pictures were hot,” Malia tells him, ruffling his hair with a smile. “You looked delicious, and I’m sure all of Halestorm would have totally let you play desperate groupie with them if they’d shown up.”

“I look like a dork, though desperate was definitely there, too.” Stiles buries his face against Kira’s hair. “It was awful. I was flailing all over after winning the Best New Artist award, but I was gushing about Halestorm’s wins instead of my own. Way too much champagne, too, which is why Daehler was able to get those pictures in the first place.”

“Well, I wasn’t there, but I have it on good authority that a lot of guests were _very_ impressed with your routine to “Love Me Down”, even if Halestorm wasn’t around to appreciate your smooth moves,” Allison deadpans, her lips quirking slightly.

“Hell, I saw the videos that went viral, and I didn’t even know your hips could move that way,” Braeden teases with a light punch to his arm. “Now, are you finished freaking out so we can get this interview recorded before it’s too late to enjoy having a night off for once?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m over it,” he mutters, squeezing Kira’s hand before she gets off his lap. “It’s just Cora Hale, after all. I mean, she’s just here to talk about her latest movie, nothing to do with me at all. I don’t know why I got so anxious”

“Because Cora Hale is hot, and she rarely travels without her sibl—“ Malia’s words are muffled by Braeden’s hand. Stiles narrows his eyes at them before standing up.

“You always get nervous about the interviews,” Braeden reminds him. “You hate all this stuff unless they let you just talk about the music, and this is Late Night, so it’s going to be one of those glib witty things you detest even though you do them so well.”

“There’s a compliment there,” Kira says, grinning at him. “Just say thank you and let’s go get this done.”

“Thank you, Braeden. I love you, too.” Stiles speaks in a monotone, keeping his expression impassive as Braeden flips him off.

“Come on, smartass.” Allison hooks her arm around his waist and half-hugs him as they leave the dressing room. “You know, Lydia and I both have Cora Hale on our freebie list. Do you think she’d be into a threesome?”

“Ali!” Stiles gapes at her before he busts out laughing. “You’re incorrigible. And, yes, she probably would be, actually.”

“What?” She bats her eyes at him and blows him a kiss before smacking his ass. “Like you wouldn’t jump at the chance if a certain other Hale offered?”

“Shh!” Stiles looks around, but no one has heard her. Thank God. The last thing he needs is for his fanboying over Halestorm’s music to be twisted into some pining nonsense. There is no pining. Just a little lust and a few fantasies, but no pining.

“Stiles Stilinski!” A familiar voice rings out before there’s a short brunette hugging him. When she pulls back, she smacks his arm hard. “That’s for not returning my calls, asshole.”

“What calls?” Stiles blinks down at Cora, who just arches a brow at him. “No, seriously. What calls?”

“I only called you like a dozen times after your videos went viral and you were whisked away from Beacon Hills. I guess you were too famous to remember your old friends by then.” She huffs but she’s smiling at him. “It’s really good to see you. I love the new album, you know? I’ve listened to ‘Lost Chance’ so many times it’s ridiculous.”

“It’s good to see you, too.” Stiles reaches out and hugs her, not really sure why seeing her again had led to a near panic attack because they’d been friends back in Beacon Hills. Cora’d befriended him in middle school, basically not giving him or Scott a choice about it, but he hasn’t seen her since he left town three years ago.

“I’m still mad about you ignoring me, but I’m willing to let you make it up to me,” Cora warns him, squeezing his shoulder before pulling back. “You know, I only agreed to do this show because they told me you were going to be the other guest. I was still pissed about you forgetting the little people, but I also really wanted to see you.”

“Stiles, darling, why didn’t you tell us that you knew Cora Hale?” Braeden asks, giving him a look that indicates he’ll have a lot of explaining to do later.

“It didn’t really come up?” Stiles is being honest since it didn’t. Seeing Cora again had brought back some memories, as well as stirring up some of his Halestorm infatuation, so he’d just run back to the dressing room to calm down so he could handle this interview with charm and grace.

“We didn’t become friends until after Laura and Derek were touring,” Cora says, looking at his band with narrowed eyes. “And I’m the one who insisted he be my new best friend, so don’t get any weird ideas about him befriending me because he’s all into my siblings’ band.”

“We know him better than that,” Allison points out. “He’d never use someone like that, especially not when you’re related to two people he idolizes.”

“Idolizes?” Cora snorts. “You’re still such a goober, Stiles. They aren’t all that, you know?”

“I know.” Stiles shrugs. “But they made magic when I was a kid, and I was there to see it at the beginning. I know they’re not perfect, but they’re so talented that I can’t help but be inspired. The way Laura sings just gives me chills, and Erica’s freaking amazing on drums, and the lyrics that Boyd and Derek write are always so fantastic.”

“God, you really are adorable, aren’t you?”

Stiles freezes because he knows that voice. He remembers hearing it on the Fourth of July years ago followed by a soft hand shaking his before tousling his hair. He looks over and blinks when he sees Laura Hale leaning against a camera stand, Derek Hale standing right behind her. Laura’s grinning at him, and Derek’s just staring intently. Stiles just stares at them until someone (most likely Kira, judging from the height and placement of the hand) nudges him. He clears his throat and says, “Am I?”

“Oh yeah.” Laura pushes herself off the camera and walks towards them. “I think I want to keep you.”

“Laura, you can’t keep people,” Derek mutters, his voice soft. He has a look on his face like this isn’t a new conversation for them: slightly indulgent but also exasperated.

“Says you,” she tells him before holding out her hand towards Stiles. “Stiles might disagree. What do you say, Cutie? Can we keep you?”

“Uh, I’m not really up for adoption?” Stiles says, stammering just a little as he shakes her hand. She tugs on him, making him stumble forward into a hug.

“You’re amazing,” Laura whispers against his ear, hugging him tight before pulling back. “The emotions that you managed to capture with ‘Echoes of You’ made me cry, and I am _not_ a crier. I was ugly crying over that entire album, Stiles. It was Not Nice of you to do that to your fans. I sincerely hope the next album is a lot happier.”

“We have pictures of the ugly crying,” Derek says dryly. “Erica’s using them as blackmail material.”

“Because she’s evil and terrible, just like you.” Laura pouts for a moment before smiling. “Don’t let his whole attempt at nonchalance fool you, though. Derek still plays ‘See Me’ on repeat for hours, and he had the new album downloaded within minutes of it debuting on-line.”

“Laura!” Derek hisses and the tips of his ears start to turn red as Stiles watches him. “Thanks for that.”

“Anytime, brother dear.” Laura smiles sweetly before looking at Stiles. “Why don’t you ask Derek to show you what he’s got in his wallet? I’m going to introduce myself to your gorgeous Foxes and tease my sister while you two catch up.”

“Sororicide is starting to look better and better,” Derek grumbles, his ears still red as he shifts his weight from one foot to the other, looking everywhere _but_ Stiles.

“It’s illegal, and, while I’m sure you could do the whole Jailhouse Rock thing way better than Cry Baby, prison isn’t really a life goal you should have,” Stiles says, feeling slightly awkward because he’s not sure what’s going on between Laura and Derek or how he fits into it.

“The only thing that keeps Laura alive is the fact it’s illegal,” Derek says, finally looking at Stiles. “Though I think I’d have just cause sometimes.”

“What’s in your wallet?” Stiles blurts out, cringing slightly because that wasn’t smooth at all. “I mean, you don’t have to…She just said…I was curious.”

“This is what I mean about just cause.” Derek drags his fingers through his hair and does that whole looking everywhere else thing before he sighs. “Whenever I listen to ‘Lost Chance’, I can’t help feeling like it was written for me. You’ve got this way of writing songs that makes the listener feel connected emotionally, and it’s a gift that makes me jealous yet also leaves me in awe.”

“I didn’t know if you even listened to my stuff. I mean, they’ve got me classified as pop, and Halestorm is so rock and roll,” Stiles says, fully aware that he’s in danger of a fanboy ramble if he’s not careful. “But, uh, I might actually have written ‘Lost Chance’ about you? I mean, you you, not the hypothetical listener you. Because of Beacon Hills, and there’ve been a few parties where we’ve missed each other, and I don’t know.” He shrugs because he probably sounds like a total stalker right now.

“Seriously?” Derek stares at him, his lips curving into a small smile as Stiles nods. “I might have written ‘Ships in the Night’ for you. It was after I saw your videos on Cora’s favorites list, and I remembered you, from before. Mrs. Stilinski’s son who sent us the songs when everyone thought we were crazy for trying to break into music.”

“Oh God. Those songs.” Stiles groans, feeling warmth splotching out on his face. “I was like eleven years old, and that’s my only excuse. I got better, though.”

“They weren’t half bad, Stiles.” Derek’s smile turns sheepish as he pulls out his wallet. He opens it, pulling a yellowing piece of paper with red ink scrawled against it. “This is what Laura meant.”

“That’s one of the songs Mom said she gave you,” Stiles says, taking it from Derek and skimming it. It actually isn’t that horrible, especially considering he’d only been eleven when he wrote it. “This chorus is awful. What the hell was I thinking?”

“The lyrics are meaningful.” Derek takes the paper back from and carefully folds it up. “Even then, you had a way of putting words together that created a connection. I keep this because it’s a reminder to myself that the songs I write have to mean something or no one will want to listen to them. Laura, Erica, and Boyd all have one of your other songs. It’s always been a reminder to us about our first fan, and we couldn’t really believe it when Cora showed us your videos. You’re so talented.”

“I guess maybe I shouldn’t feel so foolish for being such a huge fanboy then.” Stiles looks behind him and rolls his eyes when he sees the six women watching them closely, like they’re on some new soap opera or something. “I need better friends.”

“At least you can replace yours. Two of them are related to me, so I’m stuck with them.” Derek shakes his head, but he’s smiling when he says it. He looks at Stiles as he slides his wallet into his back pocket. “Would you maybe want to, uh. Coffee. Do you like coffee?”

“You’re so bad at this, baby brother,” Laura groans. “Remember what we practiced.”

“I hate you,” Derek sing songs, glaring at Laura as his ears turn even redder. Looking back at Stiles, he bites his lip.

“Stiles loves coffee,” Allison calls out helpfully. “Plus chocolate chip muffins and brownies. Chocolate is his weakness.”

“But no espresso unless you plan to stay awake with him for hours,” Kira warns, also sounding supportive and helpful.

“Espresso would be good if you want to have sex, though,” Malia says matter-of-factly. “He’ll be up all night, if you know what I mean.”

“I’m sure everyone knows what you mean, sweetie.” Braeden huffs before she adds, “Don’t take him anywhere too crowded, and you’d better not get too handsy with him on a first date. Got it?”

“Stiles is more likely to get handsy than Derek,” Cora points out. “So don’t get all threatening with my brother.”

“I wasn’t threatening him, Short Stack,” Braeden drawls, and Stiles isn’t sure if it’s her ‘I want to get you into bed’ drawl or her ‘they won’t find his body if I don’t want them to’ drawl. Either one is slightly terrifying.

“I like coffee,” Stiles says, speaking louder than usual to be heard over the women behind him. “Would you want to get some, maybe? After this show is taped?”

“I’d love to,” Derek murmurs, smiling softly at him. “I’m really interested to hear what you think about our latest album, and I want to find out what ‘Waves’ is really about.”

“Let me just get this wrapped up, and then we can go somewhere a lot quieter to talk.” Stiles impulsively leans over and presses his lips against the corner of Derek’s mouth. Derek looks surprised when he pulls back, and Stiles can’t help smiling at him. “We’ll finish this later.”

“Later. Got it,” Derek says, reaching out and pulling him closer. He kisses Stiles lightly in nearly the same place Stiles kissed him. “Don’t let Cora talk about her methodology for the latest movie role or you’ll never get filming wrapped up.”

“Good advice. I’ll make sure she doesn’t.” Stiles winks at him before turning to face the others. “Alright, ladies. Let’s go charm and flatter our way through this interview because I’ve got special plans for our night off.”

**Author's Note:**

> [My Tumblr](http://inell.tumblr.com)


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